Ignition device for internal-combustion engines.



G. A. KROHN.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1916.

Patented May 15, 1917.

1N VENTOR.

WITNESS M H. M. m w 6 Y B M f5 A TTORNE YS.

GUSTAVE A. BORN, O COABSEG-OLD, CALIFORNIA.

IeNmoN- nEvIcE non. mman-Connusrron Enemies.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917'.

Application mea rebmai-y 7. me. semi no. 76,507.

To all whom 'it may camera:

Be it known that I,- GUs'rAvE a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Coarsegold, Madera, county1 State of California, have 'invented a certain new and useful Ignition Device for Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for varying the time of the ignition spark in accordance with the speed of the engine.

An object of the invention is to provide an ignition timing device for Ford engines which may bereadily attached to the engine without any additional means ofV attachment and without permanently removing any of the ignition timing apparatus now employed on the engine. In accordance,

with Ymy invention, I simply remove the commutator, insert the automatic timing device of my invention-and replace the coinmutator, so that the automatic device may be quickly and cheaply applied.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, which, with theforegoing, will be set forth at length in the following descriptionl where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the drawings and description as I may adopt many variations in the 'invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to said drawings".

Figure 1 is a vertical section of my device for applying a speed controlled ignition timing means to a Ford engine, the

section being taken on the line 1--1, Fig. 2. Fig. '2 is a vertical section taken on the -line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view, partly broken away, of the commutator and its inclosing casing. y

The engine case 3 of the Ford engine is provided4 at the front with a circular shoulder lL'which is concentric with the timingshaft 5 which projects through the case. The commutator is ordinarily mounted directly on this shoulder and the brush arm is secured directly to the shaft 5. The commutator comprises a ring 6 of insulating material in which are embedded theV commutator segments 7 which are connected to corresponding terminals 8. The ring 6 is mounted within the metallic case 9 which seats on the shoulder 4 and is held pressed 'againi-:t the shoulder by a flat spring 12 Secured to the engine case and contacting withv the o uter closed end 13 of the case. The case 1s provided with an arm 14 to which lever 15 is connected, for manually rotating the case to vary the time of ignition. My invention contemplates the interposi- Vtion between the timing shaft and the brush holder, of means for automatically varying the position of the brush with relation to the timing shaftin accordance with the variations in the speed of the engine.

In accordance with my invention, I re-V move the commutator case 9 from the shoulder 4 and removethe contact holder from the timing shaft 5. Thel contact holder in Ford engines is secured to the timing shaft by a pin 16. The automatic timing device of my invention comprises a bushing 17 provided with a Iiange 18. The bushing is slipped over the shaft 5 and is secured thereto by the. pin 16 which formerly held the Contact holder. Pivoted to the ange 18 at diametrically opposite points are governor weights 19 which are moved outward about their pivots by the centrifugal force imparted by the rotating shaft. The weights are connected together by a spring 21 so that the amount of their outward displacement varies with the speed of the shaft. Formed integrally with each weight and arranged concentrically with its pivot is .a gear segment 22, the two segments meshing with a gear 23 formed on the sleeve 24; which rotatably engages the bushing 17. Displacement of the weights 19v thereby causes a partial rotation of the sleeve on the bushing.` On the outer end of the sleeve is formed a brush holder 20, carrying the brush 25. The sleeve is held against longitudinal displacement on the bushing by the extension nut 26 which extends into the bushin and engages the thread on the end of sha 5. f

On account of the interposition; of the governor, the brush 25 is displaced from the engine casing a greater distance than the contact is on. ordinary engines and in 'order that the same commutator may be on one side a shoulder 28 which fits on shoulder 4 and on the other side a shoulder 29 of the same diameter as shoulder 4, on which the casing 9 tits. The distance between the shoulders 28 and 29 is equal to the distance that the brush is displaced owing to the' interposition of the governor. The case 9 is held in place by the same spring 12 which formerly held it in place. Since the governor operates to vary the time of the spark in accordance with the speed of the engine, manual control of the spark is now inadvisable and the lever 15 is secured in position so that the commutator may not be moved. The position of the commutator is adjusted by hand, so that proper ignition `timing at high or low speeds is obtained and then it is secured in position and the variation in timing is accomplished by the governor.

It has been shown that the commutator may be employed and that no additional holding means therefor are necessary. The

commutator and contact holder are removed,

element forming an operativeconnection between said members and adapted to vary the angular relation of the members by changes in its position, a contact arranged on the driven member, ya stationary commutator surrounding said contact and engaged thereby, a casing containing the commutator, an extension ring xedly engaging the engine casing and surrounding said centrifugal element, a shoulder on said rin engaged by said commutator casing an means for holding said casing on said ring.

2. In an internal combustion engine having a casing andtming shaft extending therethrough and a shoulder on the -casing concentric with said timing shaft, a contact holder, a centrifugal element forming an operative connection between said timing shaft and contact holder and adapted to vary the angular relation of the contact holder with respect to the Ashaft by changes in its position, an extension ring Xedly engaging the shoulder on the engine casing, a shoulder on the extension ring, a commutator casing engaging the shoulder on the lextension ring, a commutator in said casing in position to be engaged by the contact in said contact holder and a spring for pressing said commutator casing against said ring.

3. he combination with an internal combustion engine having a casing provided withl a circular shoulder,l a timing shaft extending through the casing and concentric with said shoulder, a commutator, a casing surrounding the commutator adapted to seat on said shoulder and a contact arranged to engage .the commutator, of an extension ring arranged between the engine casing and the commutator casing arranged to seat on the shoulder on the engine casing and having a shoulder of the same diameter on which the commutator casing seats and a centrifugal element forming an operative connection between the timing shaft and the contact adapted to vary the angular relation of the contact with respect to the timing shaft by changes in its position.

4. The combination with an internal combustionv engine having a casing provided with a circular shoulder, a timing shaft extending through the casing and concentric with -said shoulder, a commutator, a casing surrounding `the commutator and adapted to seat on said shoulder, of a flanged bushing secured to the timing shaft, overnor` weightsopivotally attached to the ange of said bushing, a sleeve surrounding the bushing, a gear on said sleeve, gear segments onv said governor weights meshing with said gear, a contact carrier secured to said sleeve, a contact carried by said carrier, an

extension ring engaging said shoulder and provided with a shoulder on which said commutator casing seats, a nut engaging said shaft and holding said sleeve on said bushing and means pressing the commutator casing against said ring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Raymond, California, this 28th day of January, 1916.

GUSTAVE A. KROHN.

In presence of-- E. L. MGCAPES. 

